Don't fall foul of telephone banking scam

THREE attempts to trick elderly or vulnerable victims into revealing their bank details in under 34 hours are being linked by police.

In each case the telephone callers were posing a police officers and West Mercia Police is urging people across Worcestershire to beware of fraudulent and bogus calls as well as reminding them not to give out their personal banking details or PIN numbers.

In one incident on Wednesday, February 26, an elderly man in Worcester was tricked into handing over £6,000 when callers posing as police officers claimed his bank account had been cloned and they needed the bank notes to carry out forensic investigations.

In another case in the city, £250 was stolen from a bank account after an elderly victim was persuaded to hand over bank cards.

In all the incidents victims are contacted by telephone, by fraudsters posing as officers from the Metropolitan Police, and various stories are used to trick people into thinking they are victims of bank account fraud and in most cases a courier is sent to collect the cards.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: “You should never reveal your personal bank details or the PIN number for your bank cards to anyone.

"Your bank and the police will never contact you by phone to ask for this information. Victims should refuse to give any details and end the call immediately.

“In addition a police officer calling at your door will carry a warrant card which shows their name, number and a photograph as well as the force they work for. If you have any doubts you should call the police on 101 and ask for the name to be verified."

Anyone with information should call the police on the non emergency number 101 and ask for Worcester CID.

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